140 national geographic • May 2017
Mamdouh Abu Kelwa sails his felucca
past the unfinished Aten Museum in
Minya. Akhenaten needed only five years
to build a new capital; the 25-acre
museum complex has taken more than
twice as long because of political and
economic instability. Since the project
began, Egypt has undergone a revolution
and a coup, and two former presidents
have been put on trial. Meanwhile the
ancient king continues to be the subject
of monumental art, including this
sculpture at Minia University (below).